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On Monday, October 15, my new single and video "Seeds" was made public. I want to thank BlackGirlsAllowed.net, TheUrbanMusicScene.com, and GuitarGirlMag.com for being early supporters of the video. The video is available on Youtube and all digital outlets (you can click the photo above to hear and see "Seeds"). Here is an open letter I wrote to anyone curious about the message of "Seeds":

Friends,

I am extremely excited and proud to present to you the short film based on my song "Seeds". I want to thank each and every person that made this happen, most importantly the director and screenwriter, Emil Gallardo. This was a labor of love from start to finish, with people volunteering their time and resources to be a part of making this film.

We wrote the song "Seeds" in 2014 after the murder of Michael Brown. I felt powerless and wanted to say something to uplift and empower everyone...including myself. The song is based on the words of Greek Poet Dinos Christianopoulos, "They tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds."

I am very aware that the images in this video are triggering and jarring and will evoke strong emotion...I hope they do. I hope that after watching this, you are fired up and ready to vote, to volunteer, to protest, to make change. We're sooooo past Republican and Democrat, black and white, right now, we're fighting for our decency and humanity. I truly believe that we will be judged by future generations harshly for staying silent on the issues we are facing today. Every negative action in the film has a positive reaction, meaning WE have the power to change the ugly in this world.

As always, I thank you for your support and if you feel so moved, please share this video and song with your family and friends.

God Bless you all and please make your voice heard this November 6 and every day after...

The Living Room Festival announced their 2019 lineup and Rissi Palmer was chosen as one of six artists to headline!!! This one of a kind festival takes place in the Tampa Bay area March 26-31 and hosts 30 concerts during that time. Music fans and hosts from Canada, France, and all around the U.S. come to St. Petersburg FL to meet and experience an amazing week (or long weekend) of intimate and remarkable performances.The festival showcase is March 29th at the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg. Rissi's specific concert dates, times, and locations will be announced later this year. For more information about the artists and festival, please visit https://listeningroomfestival.com/

Attention San Jose friends: I will be in town shooting a video for my song Seeds with film maker Emil Gallardo on Saturday, August 18. As you may or may not know, Seeds was written to empower us to fight for social justice and recognize how powerful we are when we fight together rather than against each other. This short film/video is a collaboration between Emil and I to motivate people to get out and vote in the upcoming midterm elections. If you have been looking for a way to get involved, here's an opportunity. We are seeking extras to bring this story to life. We need all ethnicities, shapes, orientations, etc. Click on the link below for location information if interested: https://www.facebook.com/events/230792204272757/

Join Families Moving Forward, a wonderful organization helping families in the Durham area, for their Inaugural Kids for Change End of Summer Celebration from 3-5 pm on Sunday, August 26th, 2018 at the Durham Central Park! This is event is FREE and ALL ARE WELCOME!

There will be family-friendly entertainment, affordable food/drinks and plenty of fun for the whole family. Headlined by Durham's own Rissi Palmer, Baron von Rumblebuss and Jeghetto! Visit https://fmfnc.org/kidsforchange/ for more info on the event and about Families Moving Forward!

For the 2nd year is a row I’ll be playing Circa1888 in Raleigh with a dope band and the fabulous Al Strong for New Year's Eve!!! Playing everything from Jazz to original music and classic soul. Show starts at 9pm and goes to 2am. Tickets are $25 online/$30 at the door and on sale now, click HERE for yours!!!

If we had a gate, it would open at 6:30 pm. Feel free to show up earlier than that, even, if you just want to enjoy the weather, have a picnic, or just hang out.

Doodad Farm never charges for entry to concerts, though we do request that those who are able (and you know who you are) donate at the stage area. Every penny of donations goes straight to the performers. We think $10-$15 is a reasonable donation for this show. There will also be an opportunity to buy CDs and other merchandise, and that's another way to contribute.

Other details:
• Kids, dogs, and even mothers-in-law are always welcome as long as they behave themselves.
• This is an outside, farm like setting (thus the name). Dress like you’re going camping and you’ll be fine. Bug spray might be a good idea.
• We never allow weapons of any sort at the farm. If you think you need to protect yourself, you’re in the wrong place.
• Bring your own beverages, and consume them responsibly.
• If you’re a sitter, bring a chair. If you forget, we have some extras.
• Smoking is permitted as long as you don’t bother anyone or do any butt-dropping.
• Please clean up after yourself and treat the Farm as if it’s your own (in a way, it is!).
• Portable toilets and drinking water will be available.
• Let someone help you park, especially if the field is wet.

The African American Quilt Circle of Durham presents Ancestral Rhythms, a fusion of sight, sound, and soul. Join us for an evening of spoken word, jazz, and breathtaking works of art. There will be light refreshments and food trucks.

I'm excited to play with the truly fabulous singer and songwriter Jenny Van West on her tour of the Southeast. Please spread the word to any friends in the Raleigh / Durham area—it's going to be a VERY special night!!! Advance thanks to Dr. Brooke Jackson for opening her doors and beautiful space for this event. Space is limited for this intimate, acoustic show, so reserve your space today by emailing your RSVP to jennyvanwest@gmail.com. The suggested donation for the show is $15 and all money goes to the artists.

The third installment of #SiX featuring performances by artists who helped build the foundation of the #Nashville independent music scene over the past decade. Join us July 12 @3rdandlindsley for this very special event.

On Wednesday June 20, 2018 we're highlighting the Start of Cool concert by teaming up for a community conversation about Nina Simone Revisited with Four Women (Carly P. Jones, Rissi Palmer, Yolanda Rabun, and Tamisha Waden) who will offer insight into their own creative process as well as Nina Simone's influence on their artistic legacy.

For the fourth year in a row, Doodad Farm has recruited a group of talented musical volunteers to support a local music-related nonprofit for our tribute show. This year we're trying something different -- a tribute to a year in history. We’re going to take a trip back to another era. 1972 was a pivotal year in terms of art, culture and history, with parallels to our current times. We invite everyone to come out, support Harmony Music School with your donations, and slip back into a simpler day.

Starting at 3pm, we'll have a steady stream of music as the area's best musicians recreate the songs that were released in 1972. We're talking the Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Seals and Croft, Alice Cooper, Tanya Tucker, Neil Young, Aretha Franklin -- all the songs you heard on the radio back when the stations played the whole spectrum of music. We'll also be celebrating other aspects of 1972 culture and history.

We don't charge admission, but we do hope you'll support Harmony Music School (www.harmonymusicschoolgso.org). Harmony was created by local musician and music teacher Lyn Koonce to provide free musical instruments and instruction to children who otherwise might have no exposure to the magic of playing music. Contribute however you can - we'd love to see $20 per guest, every cent of which goes straight to Harmony Music School.

Everyone is welcome to come join us for this unique celebration!

Other details:
• Kids, dogs, and even mothers-in-law are always welcome as long as they behave themselves.
• This is an outside, farm like setting (thus the name). Dress like you’re going camping and you’ll be fine.
• We never allow weapons of any sort at the farm. If you think you need to protect yourself, you’re in the wrong place.
• Bring your own beverages, and consume them responsibly. Other smart items include chairs, snacks, coolers, sunscreen, and bug spray. We'll have a food truck on site, but of course you're welcome to bring a picnic. No open fires, but grills are fine as long as you leave no trace of your cooking.
• Smoking is permitted as long as you don’t bother anyone or do any butt-dropping. We ask that smoking take place away from the stage area so that others may enjoy the show.
• Please clean up after yourself and treat the Farm as if it’s your own (in a way, it is!).
• Portable toilets and drinking water will be available.
• Let someone help you park, especially if the field is wet.
• Please keep in mind that this is a family-friendly event, not a recreation of Woodstock. We will not tolerate any illegal activities on the premises.

Plan for an exciting night of song-swapping with Rissi Palmer (Durham, NC) and Wes Collins (Pittsboro, NC) at our "Paris of the Piedmont" house concert. Doors open at 2:15 pm. Light beverages and snacks will be served (BYOB). Suggested donation of $15. RSVP to get house address (rmhathorn@yahoo.com).

Singer-songwriter Rissi Palmer experienced a lifetime of milestones when she released her self-titled debut album in 2007. As one of country music's most promising new stars, Rissi received widespread attention across all media platforms including print features in Ebony, GIANT, Newsweek, Parade, People, Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal, to name a few. She made numerous national television and radio appearances such as the CBS Early Show, NPR's Tavis Smiley, and Sirius XM's Dr. Maya Angelou's Show on "Oprah & Friends." Rissi also made music history as the first African-American female to chart a country song since 1987 with the release of her debut single, "Country Girl." (More... https://rissipalmermusic.com/)

2015 Kerrville Grassy Hill New Folk winner Wes Collins calls his music “guitar driven folk-pop with teeth”. He released his debut album, One Layer Down, in 2013 and is just about done writing the next one (look for it in the Spring of 2018). Since appearing at Kerrville, Wes has played throughout the Southwest, from the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville to a formal showcase at the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference in Austin. This year Wes took second place in Moravia Texas's 2017 Songwriter Serenade and received a songwriting fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council. (More... https://www.wescollins.com/)